Stubborn Love
by nikyjlo101
Summary: Sometimes life just doesn't quite work out the way we plan. For the Gibbs', "normal" was never a word to associate with them. But sometimes we crave normalcy. Follow them as they work through everyday issues and baby issues. JIBBS TATE
1. Chapter 1

** Well hello again! I'm sorry I've been pretty quiet for most of the summer, but hopefully I'll be posting more through the fall. This is the sequel to my other story **_**History's Door**_**. This can be read alone, but I think it would make more sense as a whole of you read the previous stories. Please review! I love to hear what you all have to say :) **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my cat.**

Chapter 1:

Fall had slowly drifted over Washington DC, painting the leaves beautiful shades of red, yellow, and orange. The sun was shining and there was a light breeze blowing leafs off of the trees. Tony and Kate were walking hand-in-hand through the park near the NCIS building. It was their lunch hour and they were wasting time before they needed to be back.

"Tony, have you noticed anything weird going on with my mom and dad?" Kate asked looking up at him.

Tony looked at his girlfriend with a questioning glance, "No, nothing out of the ordinary, why?"

"I can't put my finger on it, but something between them feels different, not a bad different just a different different."

"Different different? Really Kate, that's the best yah got?" Tony teased

Kate slapped his chest playfully before becoming serious again, "Tony, I'm serious, something isn't right."

"Kate," Tony sighed, "I'm sure everything is fine. Gibbs and the Director have always had a peculiar relationship."

Kate was still skeptical but decided to drop the subject for the time being. Tony and Kate hurried into the bullpen with just enough time for Tony to avoid a head slap. Kate ignored the glare her father was sending her way and kissed Tony before heading up stairs to her mom's office. She waved at Cynthia before walking into the office. Kate stopped short when she didn't see her mom anywhere. She had seen her schedule and knew she was supposed to be at the office all day.

Kate heard a noise and turned to see the bathroom door was closed. She hurried over and knocked on the wood door. A strangled sob was her only response.

Kate knocked again with more urgency, "Mom, are you okay?"

"I'm fine sweetie. Don't worry about it." Jenny's muffled voice came through the door

Kate took one more look at the door before hurrying back downstairs. She halted in front of Gibbs' desk and quietly told him what was going on. Kate watched her father disappear upstairs before she sank into his vacated office chair. Tony sent her a look, but Kate just shook her head letting him know she didn't know what was going on either.

Gibbs entered his wife's office and immediately made his way over to the bathroom door. He knocked lightly before entering slowly. The sight that greeted him broke his heart. Jenny was leaning against the bathroom wall, her knees pulled up to her chest and her shoulders were shaking with the force of her sobs. Gibbs slide down the wall and made himself comfortable before he pulled Jenny into his arms. He kissed her forehead, brushed her red curls away from her face and waited for her to calm down.

When Jenny was composed enough to talk she picked a spot on the wall and stared at it blankly before beginning. "I know I promised I wouldn't take any more tests without telling you, but I thought for sure this one would be positive." Jenny said trailing off.

"It was negative wasn't it?" Gibbs waited for Jenny's nod. "Jen, this isn't healthy. We promised each other from the beginning that if it's meant to happen it will. All this stressing out about isn't good for you and on top of that it isn't accomplishing anything."

"I know I promised, but dammit Jethro it's already been four months! With Kate and with-," Jenny choked briefly on her words, "It just happened."

"I know." Gibbs said softly

"I just want another baby, Jethro."

The raw pain in her voice cut Gibbs to the core. He pulled her into his lap and held her tightly. He ran his hand through her curls soothingly as fresh tears rolled down her pale cheeks.

After about an hour in her husband's arms, Jenny was feeling substantially better. Gibbs was the first to break the quiet that had fallen over the pair.

"We should go on vacation."

"Hmm?"

"We should go away. Just you and me."

Jenny lifted her head from her husband's chest and looked up at him.

"Jethro, do you realize how much work it would take me to arrange for both of us to be gone let alone plan an actual vacation?"

"Leave it all to me, Jen." Gibbs said confidently

"Really?" She asked skeptically

"Really."

Gibbs watched as Jenny yawned for the millionth time in the last hour and helped her off the floor and led her to the couch. When he pulled the blanket out from the coffee table she sent him a glare.

"If you think I am going to stop in the middle of the afternoon and take a nap you have lost your mind. I'm already behind as it is." Even as she was arguing Jenny was lying down and letting Gibbs spread the blanket over her. Jenny really was tired, but she hated giving her husband the gratification of being right.

Gibbs rubbed her shoulder lovingly, "It's going to happen, Jen. You just have to be patient."

"How can you be so sure? It's your famous gut again isn't it?"

"Something like that." He replied. He placed a loving kiss on her forehead and turned to leave but was stopped be Jenny.

"How do you know I have nothing going on for the rest of the day?"

"I may have looked at your schedule on the computer after I told Cynthia she could go home for the day."

"Jethro, you know that the Director's schedule is strictly confidential." Jenny said trying to be reprimanding, but failing miserably.

"What can I say? Sleeping with the Director has its perks." Gibbs said with a smirk as he closed her office door.

***TBC***


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is a little on the short side, but I should have the next chapter up by the end of the day. As always let my know what you think :)**

** Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**Chapter 2:**

Gibbs descended into the bullpen and shooed Kate out of his chair.

"Is mom okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. You have the rest of the day off. Go to Abby's lab and do whatever it is that you do down there." Gibbs said turning to his computer

Kate observed her father quizzically for a few seconds before heading toward the elevator. When Kate entered the elevator she bypassed Abby's lab floor and punched the autopsy button with determination. She was going to get to the bottom of this one way or another. Kate marched into autopsy with a hand over her eyes.

"Ducky, is there any bodies on the table?"

Ducky looked up from his desk more than a little startled, "No, my dear, is there something I can help you with?"

Kate uncovered her eyes and approached her "grandfather", "Ducky, what's going on with my parents?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Ducky asked genuinely confused

Kate jumped onto the closest metal table before beginning, "There has just been this weird vibe between my parents and today when I got back from lunch mom had locked herself in the bathroom."

A look of worry crossed Ducky's face before he placed a calm look on his face and thought quickly on his feet.

"Do you remember when you were about ten and your mother was in the hospital?"

"Kind of, it is pretty hazy but I do know that I wasn't allowed to see her for a few days and that she spent at least two weeks in the hospital."

"She was involved in a car accident while she and another agent were per suing a suspect. At the time of the accident your mother was pregnant, but the trauma of the car accident and subsequent surgeries caused a miscarriage. For a very long time your mother blamed herself for the miscarriage when in reality she wasn't even aware she was pregnant until after the fact. She still to this day has a lot of regrets surrounding the death of your grandfather and her joining NCIS. Some days are harder for her then others."

Kate looked a little shocked at all the new information she had received.

"I had no idea," Kate paused, "Oh God, I'm a horrible child! I asked for a brother or sister every year for Christmas from the time I was five until I turned twelve. I probably broke moms heart the Christmas after the accident."

Ducky patted Kate on the knee, "Try not to dwell, my dear. You had no reason to think that asking for a sibling was hurtful in anyway."

Kate hopped off the table, kissed Ducky on the cheek and bustled out of autopsy.

"Thanks for being honest, Ducky." Kate called over her shoulder before the autopsy doors slid shut.

When Ducky was sure Kate was on the elevator, he moved to his desk phone and punched in a very familiar number.

"Jethro, I need to see you down here as soon as you are available."

Gibbs let out a breath when he hung up the phone. He knew Kate couldn't leave it alone. She was too much like him and Jen. He stood and addressed the team, "I'm going to autopsy. When I get back you had better be finished with your reports."

Gibbs walked into autopsy and found Ducky impatiently waiting for his arrival.

"Is there something I can help you with, Duck?"

"Kate was just down here demanding to know what is going on with you and Jenny. It told her about the car accident and that some days were just particularly harder than others. Now would like to tell me what is really going on?"

Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose, "Jen was just upset, because of another negative test."

"Ah, so you have been trying for another baby." Ducky said with understanding

"Yeah we've been trying since her birthday and she is starting to stress over all the negative tests." Gibbs admitted somewhat sheepishly. This was a weird topic for him to talk about.

"It has only been four months. It takes some couples a year or more to conceive. I can almost a sure you that you have nothing to worry about at this moment."

Gibbs pulled himself up onto the metal slab much like his daughter had previously done.

"Try telling Jen that. She seems to think that since both kids were complete and total surprises this should happen just like that."

"Well we all know life does not quite work like that." Ducky said taking a seat in his desk chair

"I'm thinking of taking her on vacation soon, I'm not sure to where though," Gibbs said laying down on the table, "I'm going to catch a few winks if that's okay with you, Duck."

"I'm not going to stop you; it is nice to occasionally have some company that is actually living."

***TBC***


	3. Chapter 3

**I am on such a roll today and honestly it's a little weird. I guess my muse really likes hazelnut coffee or it could be the fact that I leave for college in about 10 hours and I'm freaking out. Please review, it makes my muse and myself very happy :)**

** Disclamier: See Chapter 1.**

**Chapter 3:**

While in Autopsy that afternoon Gibbs planned his and Jenny's vacation out to a tee, the only problem he had was getting some free time. NCIS was extremely busy in the following weeks and it wasn't until the last of week of September, that Gibbs was able to get some time off for him and Jen.

Jethro was actually pretty smug about the whole thing. Jenny was completely unaware that they were leaving that evening for vacation. He had had Kate pack her mother a bag and at the moment both their bags were waiting in the trunk of his car.

He was actually rather surprised that Jenny hadn't caught on to what he was up to, because she was an agent at heart. But he had to give her the benefit of the doubt since she had been working herself into the ground the last month and the baby issue was weighing heavily on her mind.

When Gibbs heard the elevator ding, he looked down at his computer clock and smirked. Things were about to get interesting.

"Well Probie, where's the lady? I thought you had a plane to catch?" Mike Franks drawled as he walked into the bullpen like he owned it. Gibbs rolled his eyes and greeted Mike with a man hug. Tony, Ziva, and McGee were just staring at their boss and when Gibbs noticed he spoke exasperatedly, "What?"

Tony was the first to speak up, "He just called you Probie."

Gibbs rolled his eyes again, "He was my boss, DiNozzo. Jen's too."

Any response from Tony was cut off when Jenny and Kate descended into the bullpen. Kate immediately hugged Mike, "Uncle Mike! I didn't know you were going to be here."

"Eh, you know me kid. I just like to make random appearances," Mike said studying his Goddaughter. "You know every time I see you, you keep looking more and more like your Mother- minus the hair color of course. What's with the get up?"

Kate looked down at her blouse, slacks, and heels, before addressing her uncle, "I'm working with mom as her intern."

Mike looked slightly aghast at that information, "Red, how dare you poison her with your bureaucratic ways!"

"It's nice to see you too, Mike." Jenny said leaning up and planting a kiss on the older agent's cheek. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what exactly are you doing here?"

"Well since you and the Probie are going to be staying at my house I decided that it would be best if I left you two alone to your…uh… activities."

"That's why you've been stocking the basement fridge with Coronas," Jenny said before the whole situation clicked. "Wait a second. We're staying at Mike's house? In Mexico?"

"I told you we were going to go on a vacation. We've got a week and half of leave. This is completely SecNav approved and he even lent us his jet." Gibbs answered

Jenny kissed her husband softly on the lips before looking at him lovingly, "You know you can be incredibly sweet when you want to be, Jethro." His only response was to kiss her on the forehead and pull her into his side.

"Uncle Mike, is there a reason you came here though? I mean I love seeing you, but wouldn't it have just been easier for you to just crash in a hotel in Mexico?" Kate asked

"Well from what the Probie told me, that last time they were out of town you got yourself in a bit of trouble." Mike answered while sending Tony a scathing glare.

Kate scoffed, "Dad, that was last year. I'm 19, I don't need a babysitter."

"Kate no matter how old you are the house rules still stand. I'm not going to have this conversation again; your mom and I have a plane to catch." Gibbs lightly reprimanded while he hugged her.

While Jenny was hugging her daughter, Gibbs leaned over Tony's desk. "He's a better shot than I am." Gibbs said quietly, gesturing to Mike. Gibbs chuckled as he pulled Jenny into the elevator knowing he had just left a terrified DiNozzo in his wake.

The week and a half in Mexico, like most vacations, ended all too quickly. Gibbs and Jenny immensely enjoyed their time together. They did nothing but lie on the beach and enjoy each other's company. They were both able to relax and forget about work and babies and just be Jenny and Jethro.

Gibbs and Jenny pulled up outside their Georgetown home after a long day of traveling. They were both more than ready to crawl into their bed and sleep most of their last day off tomorrow.

The pair walked to the trunk and grabbed their suitcases. Jenny kissed her husband softly. "Thank you for an amazing vacation, Jethro." Gibbs gave her a small smile and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer as they walked up their front steps and into the house.

The couple expected the house to be quiet, but were surprised by the loud scuffling coming from the second floor. Gibbs and Jenny glanced at each other for a split second before dropping their bags and charging up the stairs. The sight that greeted them would have made Jenny burst out laughing had it not been for her excellent diplomatic composure.

Tony DiNozzo was standing in the corner of her daughter's room wearing nothing but boxers with red hearts printed on the fabric. Mike Franks was standing barely a foot in front of him with a gun pointed right at his chest. Jenny stored this particular image in her mind for safe keeping. She was sure that the frightened look on DiNozzo's face would bring her great entertainment for years to come.

At further glance, Jenny spotted her daughter standing next to her bed, wrapped up in her purple sheets. A displeased scowl was plastered on her beautiful face. Jenny sighed when she felt Gibbs step up behind her, taking in the scene for himself.

"Mike, what the hell is going on?" Gibbs questioned more than amused by the current situation.

"I came upstairs to tell the kid that you were home and I found this miscreant in her bed doing things." Mike said trailing off and making a hand gesture between Kate and Tony hoping to get the point across.

Kate's scowl deepened and she crossed her arms over her chest. "We weren't doing anything! Tony and I have barely seen each other this week. Uncle Mike gave me a curfew of 10 PM! Tony climbed in the window so we could just spend a little time together."

"Mike put the gun down. Kate and Tony a responsible adults; they haven't given us a reason to mistrust them." Jenny reasoned. Mike glared at Tony for a second more before holstering his gun. Tony grabbed his shirt and retreated back to Kate's side. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, " I should probably get going, Kate."

Jenny stopped him before he could even move an inch. "Tony, you are more than welcome to stay the night."

"What?!" Both Gibbs and Mike exclaimed.

"You both heard me and if you know what's good for you, you will both go to bed." Jenny said while walking down the hall toward the master suite.

***TBC***


	4. Chapter 4

I was hoping to have updated last weekend, but I started college last week and I got really busy really fast. But schedule permitting I am from now on going to try to update about once a week. Thanks for sticking with me! You guys are awesome :)

This episode is primarily based on the season 5 episode Chimera. To put it in the timeline of this story it is the first week of December.

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Jenny was in a bad mood. She had the cold from hell and Team Gibbs was on a ship in the middle of the ocean for the next day or so. She would have gone home at 3 PM after her last meeting, but she was waiting for a satellite update from her husband. She took a sip from her coffee cup and grimaced. The coffee was doing nothing but irritating her throat. She threw her pen down, slipped her heels back on and headed to autopsy to get some tea from Ducky's stash.

On her way up from autopsy she stopped by Abby's lab and caught the tail end of Jethro's update. She was currently pacing in front of the screen in MTAC waiting for Commander Skinner. She was torn between being angry and being scared to death. The ship was completely empty and the research doctor on board was killed by what Ducky thought was viral hemorrhagic fever. If that was the case they were all exposed when they boarded the ship and if it was as he feared Ducky estimated that they would all be dead by morning.

When Commander Skinner came on screen, Jenny halted her pacing and stood up a little straighter.

"Director, I assure you that there is a relief boat heading out to the Chimera as we speak."

"Commander, I need to know what's going on, on that ship."

The Commander quickly replied, "It's classified."

"I have top secret clearance, Commander." Jenny reminded, trying not to let her irritation soak her words.

"The mission is above top secret clearance, Director. But trust me, it's pretty mundane stuff."

Jenny mentally rolled her eyes. She knew this was going to be the start of a very long night.

The second conversation with Commander Skinner, Ducky and Gibbs went no better. The Commander flat out refused to say anything about the ship. Ducky used his authority as medical examiner to quarantine the ship and told the commander he was going search the ship himself, because he wanted to know what was going to kill him. Ducky moved from the screen and Gibbs followed after sending Jenny a brief glance.

"Commander, I think it's time you tell me about your ship."

"I cannot divulge any more of the Chimera's mission than I already have over a MTAC feed."

At that point Jenny lost her usually impeccable self-control, "I will tell my team to investigate everything on that ship from top till bottom until they find what they are looking for. I will be waiting for you and your file." Jenny quickly swiped her hand across her neck and the screen went black before the Commander could reply.

Commander Skinner arrived promptly in her office, file in hand, one hour later. He had just read her in and had her sign the file.

"The support vessel heading to the Chimera has quarantine faculties and should be at the Chimera sometime tomorrow."

"Show it to me." Jenny said

"You're going to have to trust me."

"I don't know you well enough Commander." Jenny said smartly

"We can fix that." The Commander said suggestively

Jenny leaned over her desk and leveled the commander with her best interpretation of the Gibbs glare, "You can cut the charm. Higher ranking, richer, and definitely better looking men have tried that on me and didn't get very far. Now I can't speak for you, Commander, but I didn't get where I am because of my looks, so get your eyes off of me and put some on that ship."

Commander Skinner actually did as she asked and had quickly hurried back his office at the Pentagon, telling her he'd be back in the morning. Jenny pushed the paper work on her desk away from her and rubbed eyes tiredly. It was past 3 in the morning and she had to be up at 7 for the arrival of the commander and hopefully by then the support vessel would be close to the Chimera. Jenny grabbed the blanket off the back of her couch and almost immediately fell asleep.

By midafternoon the next day Jenny was sitting in MTAC. The lights were dim and the screen was black. She reached for her cup of rapidly cooling tea and stared ahead. She had seen the ship blow up and for about half an hour she didn't know whether her husband was coming home or not. She dreaded having to go tell Kate that her dad, boyfriend and grandfather figure were not coming home. She didn't want to tell Abby that her father figure and mismatched family were gone.

When the support vessel radioed in saying they had Team Gibbs safely abroad, Jenny had never been so relived in her life. After the feeling of relief settled in, anger quickly came bubbling through. She knew Commander Skinner had made the call for the missile. She vowed to stunt his Navy career in its tracks, but that was a challenge for another day. Gibbs and the team were being helicoptered back to Anacostia and they would be back at headquarters within the next few hours.

Jenny retreated back to her office in an attempt to get some work done, but she quickly surrendered to the pounding in her head and curled back up on the couch. The next thing she knew someone was shaking her awake. She cracked open an eye and blinked a few times.

"Hey mom, I brought some food for dinner." Kate said softly

"What time is it?" Jenny rasped, a hand resting on her throat in an attempt to sooth the burning.

"It's after five. The team should be back by a little after six. I got Chinese from your favorite place."

"Kate, sweetie, I'm really not that hungry." Jenny said slowly sitting up.

Kate gave her mom a look, "I know for a fact you haven't eaten anything of substance for at least a day now. I brought egg drop soup and your favorite raspberry tea."

Jenny sighed and took a seat at the conference table next to her daughter. As she listened to her daughter talk animatedly about her last few days of class, Jenny realized how much she had missed her daughter these last few months. Jenny leaned over and pulled Kate into a hug.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"I've just really missed you. I don't get to see you that much now that you only work a day or two every week."

"Mom, I think you have a fever."

Jenny pulled back, "I do not have a fever."

Kate laid the back of her wrist on Jenny's forehead, "You definitely have a fever. Dad's going to kill you when he gets home. You swore to him you wouldn't overwork yourself and you would get some sleep while he was gone."

"Yeah well, when I made that promise I wasn't anticipating him being lost at sea on an abandoned ship. Plus I have all weekend to recuperate."

"Tony just texted me, they're getting in the elevator right now!" Kate exclaimed before rushing out of the office.

Jenny smiled and followed her daughter out of the office at a much slower pace. She was exhausted and her legs felt like jelly. When she stepped into the bullpen, Kate and Tony were wrapped up in each other and Abby was affectionately mauling Ziva and McGee at the same time. Jenny was quickly pulled into her husband's embrace. She leaned into him and tucked her head into his neck and inhaled his sent.

"I love you." Jenny whispered

"Love you too, Jen." Gibbs replied, "How are you feeling?"

"Awful." Jenny answered truthfully

"You didn't go home last night did you?"

Jenny just shook her head slightly; she figured that at this point it was best to just be completely honest. Gibbs pushed Jenny back slightly and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Jen, you've got a pretty high fever."

"That's what Kate said."

Jenny moved from her husband's embrace to give Ducky a quick hug. She then buried into Jethro's side and let him support her weight. She closed her eyes for a second and when she opened them again Tony was on one knee with a ring in front of her daughter.

"I've been carrying this ring around with me for a month just waiting for the right moment. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind but last night I thought I was never going to see you again. We don't have to get married right away if you don't want to; I just want everyone to know you're mine. So Kaitlin Marie Gibbs, will you marry me?"

"Yes."

*TBC*


	5. Chapter 5

Happy Halloween! I know I said I was going to update every weekend but I've been cramming for my first round of college exams and I've been battling the cold from hell. So I apologize for this chapter's lateness. Thanks for all your reviews, story favorites and follows. I really appreciate it!

The beginning of the chapter takes place right after the last one, but it is the middle of night.

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

It was 4am and the two permanent residents of the Gibbs house were both awake. Gibbs was propped up against the head board with pillows stuffed behind him. Jenny was curled up around him, a thick, fuzzy white blanket was wrapped tightly around her. Since they had gotten home Jenny had been going between freezing and sweating. To make matters worse she had spent the past 2 hours throwing up everything she had eaten in the last day. She was exhausted and sick and all she wanted to do was sleep, but she couldn't seem to.

"Jen, go to sleep." Gibbs murmured sleepily

"I can't." Jenny whined pitifully

Gibbs started running his hand gently through her red curls. He felt rather helpless. He wanted to make his wife feel better, but the only comfort he could give her was someone to cuddle with.

"Kate's getting married."

"I know sweetheart, I was there." Gibbs said softly

"Our baby's getting married, Jethro. She's going to realize that working with us and being so close to us isn't what she wants with her life. She and Tony are going to move away, have babies of their own and we are never going to see them again." Jenny cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Gibbs was so surprised by the change in Jenny's mood; he wasn't quite sure what to do. He just pulled her closer and let her cry. He knew she was exhausted and it had been an emotionally trying few days. Barely three minutes later he was about to break the silence, but when he looked down he saw that Jenny was fast asleep. Gibbs pressed a loving kiss to his wife's head and pulled her tightly to him and closed his eyes.

Gibbs was sitting at the kitchen table with a large cup of coffee the next morning. He could never sleep in no matter how little sleep he had under his belt. He ran a hand over his face; he was exhausted. He hadn't recovered from the all-nighter on the Chimera and he had spent the night before comforting his wife. He was really worried about her. She hadn't been this sick in a long time and he had a feeling that it had to do with the way she was running herself into the ground at work. He was just about to take another sip of coffee when the front door banged open and Tony and Kate came through the door squabbling with one another.

Gibbs set his coffee mug down and marched into the foyer, "Hey! Keep it down! Your mom was up all night. If you're going to argue go into the kitchen."

Gibbs sunk back into his chair at the table, Kate and Tony joining him with their own cups of fresh coffee.

"What's wrong with Jenny?" Tony asked after taking a few sips of his coffee.

"She's got a fever thing and she spent most of the night throwing up."

"Poor mom." Kate looked up from her coffee and met Tony's gaze, "Don't you even start with me, Anthony."

"Katie….." Tony whined

"No, Tony."

"But Katie-"'

Kate picked up her stirring spoon and pointed it threateningly at her fiancé, "If those Play Boy magazines aren't out of your apartment by tomorrow I will not be staying there until they are gone."

"But Kate, they're classics."

"Tony, they are just magazines. But if you value paper over me, your hot fiancé, then that's your decision. You know how good I am at holding out." Kate smirked

Gibbs cleared his throat and set his cup on the table with more force than necessary, "These conversations need to happen when I'm not in the room or better yet not in the house. I'm going to check on Jen."

Gibbs quietly opened the door to the master bedroom and slowly approached the bed. Jenny was curled up on her side with the blankets pulled up to her chin and his pillow hugged tightly to her. He brushed some of her red curls away from her face and laid a hand on her forehead. He sighed in relief when his hand was met with cool skin.

Jenny was in the state between wake and sleep when she heard her husband quietly wander into the room. She lazily popped her eyes open and found him kneeling in front of her.

"You feeling any better, sweetheart?" Gibbs asked softly

Jenny pulled the blankets tighter around her before answering, "My throat still feels like sandpaper, but my head no longer feels like it's going to explode."

"Do you feel up to eating anything?"

Jenny shrugged her shoulders and sat up, "I don't feel nauseas, but I really don't want to throw up any more."

Gibbs helped her into a warm sweatshirt and pulled her out of bed and into his arms, "Just try a cup of tea and some dry toast and we will see how it goes."

"I love you, Jethro. Thank you for taking care of me. I'm sure you didn't want to spend your first night home from the case sitting in the bathroom holding my hair."

Gibbs pulled her closer and rubbed her back, "I love you, too. It's my job to take care of you. If I remember right there was something about sickness and health in those marriage vows, but I could be wrong."

Jenny shoved her husband teasingly, "Don't ruin the moment, Jethro."

Once in the kitchen, Gibbs pulled out a chair for Jenny and started making her tea and toast. She smiled to herself, her grumpy marine could be an adorable softy when he wanted to. Jenny looked between her daughter and her fiancé, watching them glare at each other.

"How are you guys this morning?"

Kate sent one final glare in Tony's direction before addressing her mom, "Tony won't get rid of his Playboy magazines, because he claims that they are classics."

Jenny snorted and glanced towards her husband, "When I was helping your father move out of your grandfather's house I found his stash of Playboys. I built a fire in the backyard and burned all of them."

"Ouch, Boss. Weren't you pissed?" Tony asked

Gibbs shrugged, placed a mug and plate in front of his wife, and sat next to her. "I got something way better than pictures out of it, so there was no reason to be mad." Gibbs said before turning to Jenny. "Make sure you eat all of that toast or you can't leave this kitchen."

Jenny sent a glare in her husband's general direction, "Jethro, don't start with me. Kate, not that I don't love to see you, but why are you here?"

"Oh, right. SecNav wants all of us in the director's office at 3PM. I told him that Jenny was sick, but he insisted and said it would only take an hour." Tony informed.

In the end, the meeting with the SecNav was short and sweet. He personally apologized for the ridiculousness of how the Chimera case was handled. He also informed them that Commander Skinner was being stripped of his title and was essentially demoted to a paper pusher till he retired from the Navy.

Team Gibbs, including the Director, were back at the office and knee deep in work by Wednesday. The MCRT was working a joint case with the Army CID and Gibbs was not having any of it. He wanted to send Colonel Hollis Mann back to the army base and never hear from her again. She didn't understand that the case was his and she was working under his authority. She also was completely oblivious to the wedding ring on his finger. He was tired of her incessant flirting. He knew she was obvious about it because even Jenny was starting to notice and she only saw them together when she walked across the catwalk.

But Gibbs had bigger fish to fry than Hollis Mann. His main concern was Jenny. Although her fever had gone away and her sore throat had disappeared yesterday, she was still being picky about her foods and was throwing up randomly throughout the day.

After a long day of dead ends, Jenny and Gibbs were eating at a local Italian restaurant before they headed home. He had watched Jenny twirl pasta around her fork and eat a bite occasionally throughout the entire meal.

"Jen, are you feeling okay?"

She looked up from her bowl more than a little startled, "Yeah, I'm just not very hungry."

Gibbs took her hand in his, "I think you should go to the doctor and get checked over. Do you think you could be pregnant?"

Jenny vehemently shook her head, "I don't want to get my hopes up again, Jethro."

Gibbs sighed, "You're sick either way, Jen. We will deal with the outcome when we cross that bridge."

2 days later Gibbs was impatiently sitting at his desk, his attention focused on the elevator. Jenny was supposed to be back from her appointment at any time and he was hoping it was good news. Not only did he want another baby, he knew how much it meant to Jenny. The bullpen, for the most part, was empty with exception of Hollis. He had sent Tony, Ziva and McGee to pick up their killer and book him. Kate had the day off and Hollis had decided to stay back and keep him company. She kept trying to engage him in conversation, but the elevator was holding his attention. Gibbs hoped that Hollis got the picture when Jenny came in.

"Jethro would you…" Hollis trailed off at the glare that was being sent her way. She cleared her throat awkwardly and began again, "Gibbs would you…" Hollis was cut off again, but this time by the ding of the elevator.

Gibbs used all of self-control to keep himself seated in his desk chair when he saw the familiar red curls getting off the elevator. He knew he had to wait till Jenny came to him. Jenny stepped into the entrance of the bullpen and stopped. As soon as Gibbs saw the tears in her eyes, he walked across the bullpen in barely two steps. He was about to gather her up in his arms when the most luminous smile broke out on Jenny's face, ultimately freezing him in his place.

"Did it? Are you?" Gibbs asked stumbling over his words, not wanting to ask the wrong question.

Jenny rested a hand over his mouth and looked him in the eye, "I'm pregnant, Jethro. Almost 2 and a half months." When she was done speaking she removed her hand.

"Mexico." He whispered, a matching smile blooming on his face.

"It would seem so."

Gibbs grabbed Jenny and kissed her fiercely before gathering her in his arms. Jenny hugged him tightly, tears of relief and joy making their way down her cheeks. When the doctor had come back in the room with her blood test and told her she was pregnant, she had never been so happy in her life. Jenny pulled a small black and white photo out of her coat pocket and handed it to Gibbs.

He reverently traced the outline of the baby, "She's beautiful."

Jenny raised an eyebrow, "She? Jethro, I don't even think the baby knows what it's going to be yet."

"Trust me Jen, it's going to be another little girl who's as beautiful as her mother and sister. The gut is never wrong."

Jenny rolled her eyes and was about to pull away when Gibbs picked her up and spun her around. Jenny let out a muffled squeal of surprise. "Jethro, what has gotten into you?"

"My wife just told me she's having my baby, my daughter is getting married to a guy I actually approve of –for the most part- the case is wrapped up and the weekend is ours to do whatever we want to." Gibbs said before pulling Jenny into another searing kiss.

The two broke apart at the sound of someone clearing their throat. Jenny pushed away from Gibbs, straightened her skirt and addressed Hollis who was leaning against McGee's desk, her arms crossed across her chest.

"Colonel Mann, I wasn't aware you still here. I thought you would be headed back to base." Jenny said, trying to not sound snippy.

"I just wanted to make sure that the suspect was brought in and charged before I left." Hollis said, jealousy clouding her blue eyes.

Jenny looked skeptical for a second, but turned her attention back to Jethro. "I'm going to go talk to Ducky. Meet in my office in 15 minutes?"

"If you're not there, I will not hesitate to drag you out of here."

Jenny smirked and patted her husband's cheek, "You keep telling yourself that, Jethro." Jenny winked over her shoulder and added a little swing to her hips as she walked toward the back elevator. As he watched his wife saunter away he didn't even try to stop the goofy grin from taking over.

TBC


End file.
